The Philistines were known as
the "Sea Peoples." The Philistine ships were sailing ships and
had no oars, just a long rudder for steering. In the front and rear was a vertical prow and sternpost.

In the image on the right the prow and
sternpost were carved in the shape of a swans neck. At the top of
the mast was a crows nest, and there was also an anchor with a wood
flukes for better anchorage.

Notice the ship on the left contains two
Philistine warriors carrying their round army shields and the warrior on
the right is also holding a special dagger in his right hand.

The swan or duck's head post facing
outboard in the front was useful for ramming. The ships of the
Philistines were known in the ancient world to maneuver well in
stormy conditions.

The Origin of the
Philistines

The ancient
Philistines dwelling in Canaan around 1200 BC were no doubt of Doric
migrations. They appear to have been from the south coast of Asia
Minor and the Aegean Islands (Crete), having been forced out of
Europe by certain tribes who put an end to Mycenaean civilization
and the Hittite empire in Asia Minor. According to Amos 9:7 the
Philistines came from Caphtor (Crete or SW Asia Minor), they are
also called Cretans in Zephaniah 2:5. It is interesting that David's
bodyguard were referred to as "the Cherethithes and the Pelethites,"
which is referring to the Cretans and the Philistines. Little is
known about their language.

Genesis
26:18 - And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which
they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the
Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and
he called their names after the names by which his father had called
them.

Judges 10:6
- And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and
the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the
children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines,
and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

1 Samuel
17:3 - And the Philistines stood on a mountain
on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side:
and [there was] a valley between them.

Judges
16:28 - And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord
GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only
this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the
Philistines for my two eyes.

1 Samuel
4:6 - And when the Philistines heard the noise
of the shout, they said, What [meaneth] the noise of this great
shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark
of the LORD was come into the camp.

1 Samuel
14:4 - And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to
go over unto the Philistines' garrison, [there was] a
sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and
the name of the one [was] Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

1 Samuel
28:15 - And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted
me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the
Philistines make war against me, and God is departed
from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by
dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known
unto me what I shall do.

2
Chronicles 28:18 - The Philistines also had
invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah,
and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with
the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo
also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.

1 Samuel
5:8 - They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the
Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with
the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the
God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark
of the God of Israel about [thither].

1 Samuel
31:7 - And when the men of Israel that [were] on the other
side of the valley, and [they] that [were] on the other side Jordan,
saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were
dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines
came and dwelt in them.

2
Chronicles 17:11 - Also [some] of the Philistines
brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians
brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven
thousand and seven hundred he goats.

1 Samuel
10:5 - After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where
[is] the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall
come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou
shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place
with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them;
and they shall prophesy:

1 Samuel
27:1 - And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one
day by the hand of Saul: [there is] nothing better for me than that
I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines;
and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of
Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

1 Samuel
17:46 - This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand;
and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will
give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this
day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth;
that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

2 Samuel
3:18 - Now then do [it]: for the LORD hath spoken of David,
saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel
out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the
hand of all their enemies.

Obediah
1:19 - And [they of] the south shall possess the mount of
Esau; and [they of] the plain the Philistines: and
they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria:
and Benjamin [shall possess] Gilead.

1 Samuel
6:18 - And the golden mice, [according to] the number of all
the cities of the Philistines [belonging] to the five
lords, [both] of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto
the great [stone of] Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the
LORD: [which stone remaineth] unto this day in the field of Joshua,
the Bethshemite.

1 Samuel
28:4 - And the Philistines gathered themselves
together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all
Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.

1 Samuel
18:17 - And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter
Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me,
and fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be
upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon
him.

1 Samuel
18:27 - Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and
slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David
brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the
king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him
Michal his daughter to wife.

1 Samuel
7:3 - And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying,
If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away
the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your
hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you
out of the hand of the Philistines.

Judges 15:5
- And when he had set the brands on fire, he let [them] go into the
standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both
the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards [and]
olives.

1 Kings
15:27 - And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of
Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon,
which [belonged] to the Philistines; for Nadab and all
Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.

1 Samuel
17:1 - Now the Philistines gathered together
their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which
[belongeth] to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in
Ephesdammim.

1
Chronicles 14:10 - And David enquired of God, saying, Shall
I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver
them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will
deliver them into thine hand.

Jeremiah
25:20 - And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the
land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines,
and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,

Ezekiel
16:57 - Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time
of [thy] reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all [that are]
round about her, the daughters of the Philistines,
which despise thee round about.

1
Chronicles 14:15 - And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a
sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, [that] then thou
shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite
the host of the Philistines.

1 Samuel
6:4 - Then said they, What [shall be] the trespass offering
which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods,
and five golden mice, [according to] the number of the lords of the
Philistines: for one plague [was] on you all, and on
your lords.

1 Samuel
14:19 - And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the
priest, that the noise that [was] in the host of the
Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the
priest, Withdraw thine hand.